Sen. Emil Jones

Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971. Removes a provision prohibiting the non-contributory portion of a program of health-benefits from including the expenses of obtaining an abortion. Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Removes a provision excluding abortions or induced miscarriages or premature births from the list of services provided under the State's medical assistance program. Removes language providing for the adoption of rules to prohibit a physician from providing medical assistance to anyone eligible for medical assistance benefits if the physician has been found guilty of willfully and wantonly performing an abortion procedure upon a woman who was not pregnant at the time of the procedure. Removes other provisions concerning abortion restrictions. Amends the Problem Pregnancy Health Services and Care Act. Removes language prohibiting the Department of Human Services from making grants to nonprofit agencies and organizations that use such grants to refer or counsel for, or perform, abortions. Amends the Illinois Abortion Law of 1975. Provides that it is the intention of the General Assembly to reasonably regulate abortion in conformance with the legal standards set forth in the decisions of the United States Supreme Court of January 22, 1973. Removes language concerning the General Assembly's declaration that the unborn child is a human being from the time of conception and is, therefore, a legal person for purposes of the unborn child's right to life. Makes other changes.

Amends the Managed Care Reform and Patient Rights Act. In provisions concerning transition of services, provides that the health care plan shall not modify an enrollee's coverage of a drug during the plan year if the drug has been previously approved for coverage by the plan for a medical condition, the plan's prescribing provider continues to prescribe the drug for the medical condition, and the patient continues to be an enrollee of the health care plan. Provides specific prohibited modifications of drug coverage in the health plan. Provides that the provisions do not prohibit a health care plan from requiring a pharmacist to effect generic substitutions of prescription drugs. Provides that the provisions do not prohibit the addition of prescription drugs to a health care plan's list of covered drugs during the coverage year. Provides that the provisions do not apply to a health care plan as defined in the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971 or medical assistance under the Illinois Public Aid Code. Effective immediately.

Creates the Bridge Program for Underrepresented Students Act. Defines terms. Provides that each public university in this State may establish a Bridge Program for underrepresented students. Specifies program requirements. Provides that a public university that establishes a Bridge Program shall, on or before September 1, 2019 and on or before September 1 of each subsequent year, publish on its website and make available to the public a report on the Program. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Controlled Substances Act. Changes the classification of Hydrocodone from a Schedule II controlled substance to a Schedule I controlled substance. Amends the Illinois Optometric Practice Act of 1987 to make a conforming change.

Amends the Illinois Dental Practice Act. Changes references to "restricted faculty license" to references to "faculty license". Makes conforming changes.

Amends the Illinois Physical Therapy Act. Provides that the limitation on determining a differential diagnosis shall not in any manner limit a physical therapist from establishing a relevant diagnosis. In the definition of "documented current and relevant diagnosis" and in provisions concerning disciplinary actions, removes language requiring a diagnosis to be substantiated by a physician, dentist, advanced practice registered nurse, physician assistant, or podiatric physician. Effective immediately.

Creates the Community Behavioral Health Care Professional Loan Repayment Program Act. Creates the Community Behavioral Health Care Professional Loan Repayment Program to be administered by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission. Provides that the Program shall provide loan assistance, subject to appropriation, to eligible mental health and substance use professionals practicing in a community mental health center in an underserved or rural federally designated Mental Health Professional Shortage Area. Provides that applicants must enter into a minimum 2-year contract. Provides that the Commission may extend the contract a third or fourth year to individual applicants upon completion of the initial 2-year obligation. Provides that the Commission may extend the contract a third or fourth year to individual applicants upon completion of the initial 2-year obligation. Provides that Program participants who, for any reason, fail to begin or complete the required period of obligated service shall be liable to the Commission for an amount equal to the number of months of obligated service not completed multiplied by $2,500 and interest on the amount at the maximum legal prevailing rate, as determined by the Treasurer of the United States from the date of breach.

Amends the Governor's Office of Management and Budget Act. Creates the Youth Budget Commission is established within the Office with the goal of producing an annual youth budget fiscal scan. Sets forth the membership and terms of the Commission. Effective immediately.

Amends the Sexual Assault Survivors Emergency Treatment Act. Adds various provisions concerning requirements for hospitals and pediatric health care facilities in relation to pediatric sexual assault care. Provides that a hospital licensed under the Hospital Licensing Act or operated under the University of Illinois Hospital Act (rather than licensed under the Hospital Licensing Act) that provides general medical and surgical hospital services shall provide either transfer services to all sexual assault survivors, medical forensic services to all sexual assault survivors, or transfer services to pediatric sexual assault survivors and medical forensic services to sexual assault survivors 13 years old or older (rather than transfer services or hospital emergency services and forensic services in relation to injuries or trauma resulting from sexual assault). Provides that a pediatric health care facility may provide medical forensic services to pediatric sexual assault survivors. Adds provisions concerning requirements placed on the Department of Public Health; consent to jurisdiction for pediatric health care facilities; storage, retention, and dissemination of photo documentation relating to medical forensic services; sexual assault services vouchers; pediatric sexual assault care; and requirements placed on the Attorney General. Makes other changes.

Creates the Behavioral Health Workforce Act. Creates the Behavioral Health Education Center, administered by a teaching or research State university, or both. Provides that the Center shall be operational on or before July 1, 2019. Provides that the Center shall: (1) provide funds for 2 additional medical residents in a State-based psychiatry program each year beginning July 1, 2019 until a total of 8 additional psychiatry residents are added in 2022; (2) provide funds for 5 one-year doctoral-level psychology internships, master social workers, and master level clinical professional counselors in this State within 12 months after the effective date of this Act and every year thereafter and increase the number of interns in the program to 10 within 36 months after the effective date of this Act. Provides that the interns shall be placed in communities so as to increase access to behavioral health services for patients residing in rural and underserved areas of this State; and (3) beginning July 1, 2020, develop 5 behavioral health interdisciplinary training sites each year until a total of 20 sites have been developed. Provides that 10 of the 20 sites shall be in counties with a population of fewer than 50,000 inhabitants. Requires the Center to perform other duties. Provides that no later than December 1 of every odd-numbered year, the Center shall prepare a report of its activities under the Behavioral Health Workforce Act. Provides that the report shall be filed electronically with the General Assembly and shall be provided electronically to any member of the General Assembly upon request.